Clip for attaching power ducts to t-bars

ABSTRACT

A clamp for supporting prewired ducts above a drop ceiling, the clamp having means for attachment to a supporting surface and to structural members of the drop ceiling and means for releasably engaging and supporting a prewired duct.

9 Elmtefi tates Patent 1191 1111 3,734,436 Liberman I May 22, 1973 541CLIP FOR ATTACHING POWER 3,558,091 1/1971 Bush .248/317 DUCTS TO T-BARS2,984,447 5/1961 Duvall ..24s 317 [76] Inventor: Milton Liberman, 65Seawane Road, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS East Rockaway, NY. 1 1693324,998 10/1957 Switzerland 52/484 [22] Flled: June 1971 349,057 9/1960Switzerland ...52/484 2 APP] 15 322 335,558 1/1959 Switzerland ..52/484Primary Examiner--Roy D. Frazier [52] U.S. Cl ..248/58,2482/f;/1,324582//34187i Assistant Examiner Rodney Bonck 51 Int. (:1 ,.Fl6l 3/00 Geoffrey [58] Field of Search ..248/58, 59, 68, 317,

248/343; 52/484 [57] ABSTRACT A clamp for supporting prewired ductsabove a drop References Citfid ceiling, the clamp having means forattachment to a UNITED STATES PATENTS supportrng surface and tostructural members of the drop ce1l1ng and means for releasably engagmgand 2,463,047 3/ 1949 Naysmith ..248/343 X supporting a prewired duct.2,734,126 2/1956 Kruger ..248/343 X 3,275,817 9/1966 Schwartz ..248/343X 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CLIP FOR ATTACI'IING POWER DUCTS TO T-BARSThis invention relates to drop ceilings utilizing inverted T-bars forthe support thereof and more specifically to novel and improved meansfor integrating conduits or ducts therewith for power distribution,communication systems and the like.

The so-called drop ceiling is widely used in commercial and residentialbuildings to accommodate recessed lighting fixtures, air conditioningand heating ducts and cables for energy distribution, communicationsystems and the like. In connection with cable installation andparticularly cables for power distribution, the basic wiring had to beaccomplished prior to the installation of the ceiling and suitableoutlet boxes had to be installed in the vicinity of the proposedpositions for the lighting fixtures. After installation of the ceiling,each fixture had to be wired to the nearest box with the result that thelighting fixture installation was both time consuming and costly.

This invention provides novel and improved means for use withconventional T-bar ceiling installations for the releasable support ofelongated prewired power ducts embodying outlets spaced along the lengththereof for energizing the light fixtures. The use of prewired ductsmerely necessitates the provision of an energy supply along one wall ofa room or area so that energy can be fed to one end of each duct. Theimproved releasable support is provided with means for engaging andsupporting a T-bar and has means for attaching it to the supportingsurface. After installation of the supports in an existing ceiling ornew ceiling, as the case may be, the ducts are merely placed in thesupports and locked in position.

Another object of the invention resides in a novel and improved devicefor use in drop ceiling installations for releasably supporting prewiredducts for the distribution of electrical energy, communication systemsand the like.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent from the following description and accompanying drawingsforming part of this application.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment or ductsupporting means in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the supporting means of FIG. 1 inposition in a drop ceiling with a duct clamped therein, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drop ceiling showing a prewired ductand supporting means therefor.

As previously pointed out, drop or suspended ceilings generally utilizeinverted T-shaped elements or T-bars supported by wires or rods securedto a supporting surface of a building. The T-bars are positioned inpredetermined spaced relationship both longitudinally and laterally andare interlocked to provide openings for ceiling tiles and recessedlighting fixtures, as generally shown in FIG. 3. In order to provideelectrical energy, conduits or BX cable with outlet boxes at eachlighting fixture location have been used. Similarly, electric wiring forcommunication and other purposes was also installed and fixed to thestructure of the building prior to the ceiling installation. Thisrequirement for extensive electric wiring on location which is both timeconsuming and costly is eliminated or minimized by utilizing prewiredducts integrated with the drop ceiling by the use of novel and improvedduct-carriers along the length of a T-bar, the duct is placed inengagement with the clamps and locked therein.

Referring to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, theduct-carrying clamp is generally denoted by the numeral 10 and isarranged to carry a duct 11 of generally rectangular cross sectionthough it is understood that the clamp can be arranged to accommodateducts of other configurations.

The clamp 10 is in the shape of a C having bottom, side and top membersor legs l2, l3 and 14 respectively forming a rectangular opening. Thebottom member has an upwardly extending portion 15 forming a shoulder16. The distance between the shoulder 16 and the inner edge 13 of themember 13 is at least equal to the width of the duct 11 and the distancebetween the top surface of the portion 15 and the outer edge 17 of thetop member 14 is slightly greater than the height of the duct 11.

The upper leg 14 of the clamp in udes latching means generally denotedby the num al 20 and pivoted to the leg 14 at 21. The right end 22 ofthe latch as shown in FIG. 1 has a flattened end portion 23 and arounded portion 24. The left portion 25 is in effect a handle to rotatethe latch from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown inFIG. 2 to lock the duct 19 therein. It will be observed in FIG. 2 thatthe rounded end portion 24 prevents abrasion of the cover during thelocking operation and the flattened portion 23 maintains the latch inthe locked position.

The upper portion or leg 14 of the clamp includes an opening 26 forattachment of a wire 26 or other support for attachment of the clamp tothe ceiling or other support surface. The lower leg 12 of the clampincludes a downwardly depending hook generally denoted by the numeral 27for engagement of a conventional T-bar 28, the latter in combinationwith adjoining T-bars 29 and 30 and transverse T-bars 31 functions tosupport ceiling tiles 32 and lighting fixtures in the usual manner.

More specifically, the hook 27 includes a downwardly extending portion33 and an outwardly extending portion 34, the latter terminating in anupwardly extending portion 35 to form a hook-like recess 36. The hook 27engages an opening 37 in the T-bar 28 so that the clamp supports boththe T-bar as well as the duct 11. By the use of a plurality of clamps 10along the length of a T-bar such as T-bar 28, the duct 11 will be firmlysupported and may extend throughout the length or width of the dropceiling as the case may be. By the provision of a plurality of spacedprewired ducts 11 each having outlets 11' spaced along the lengththereof, electric cables for the supply of energy need merely beconnected to one end of each of the ducts and individual electric outletboxes for each lighting fixture are not required. Thus, lightingfixtures having cables and plugs can be positioned at any desiredlocations in the ceiling and then plugged into the nearest duct outlet.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the novel and improvedclamp can be utilized for the installation of prewired ducts in new dropceilings as well as in existing ceilings should it be desired to changeor rearrange the lighting.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof asdefined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. Means for supporting electrical ducts above a drop ceiling utilizinghorizontally disposed members secured to a supporting surface comprisinga plurality of duct supporting structures each having means on thebottom thereof for attachment to a horizontally disposed member, meanson the upper side thereof for attachment to said supporting surface andmeans for releasably engaging and supporting a duct, each of said ductsupporting structures comprising a substantially horizontal bottom leg,a vertical leg extending upwardly from one end of said horizontal legand a top leg extending outwardly from the upper end of said verticalleg and in the same direction as said bottom leg, a hook like membersecured to and extending downwardly from said bottom leg, means on saidtop leg for securing said structure to said supporting surface and meanspivoted to one of said legs for engaging and securing said duct withinthe opening defined by said legs.

2. Means for supporting electrical ducts according to claim 1 whereinthe other end of said bottom leg includes an upwardly extending portionto hold the bottom of a rectangular duct in position on said bottom legand said pivoted means comprises a lever pivoted to said top leg andhaving a portion movable from a horizontal unlocked position to avertical position bearing against the top side of said duct to securesaid duct in position in said structure.

3. A device for supporting a prewired duct above a drop ceilingcomprising a generally C-shaped bracket, hook-like means extending fromthe bottom thereof for engagement with a structural member of said dropceiling, means on the top of said bracket for attaching it to asupporting surface and means for releasably securing a duct within saidbracket, said bracket being of generally rectangular configurationhaving a bottom, side and top leg, said bottom leg includes means forreceiving and holding the bottom of a rectangular duct and a dependinghook-like member and said top leg includes an opening and a latchpivoted thereto and movable into engagement with the top of said duct tosecure the duct in position in said bracket.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said latch is in the form of alever pivoted at a point between the ends thereof to said top leg.

1. Means for supporting electrical ducts above a drop ceiling utilizinghorizontally disposed members secured to a supporting surface comprisinga plurality of duct supporting structures each havinG means on thebottom thereof for attachment to a horizontally disposed member, meanson the upper side thereof for attachment to said supporting surface andmeans for releasably engaging and supporting a duct, each of said ductsupporting structures comprising a substantially horizontal bottom leg,a vertical leg extending upwardly from one end of said horizontal legand a top leg extending outwardly from the upper end of said verticalleg and in the same direction as said bottom leg, a hook like membersecured to and extending downwardly from said bottom leg, means on saidtop leg for securing said structure to said supporting surface and meanspivoted to one of said legs for engaging and securing said duct withinthe opening defined by said legs.
 2. Means for supporting electricalducts according to claim 1 wherein the other end of said bottom legincludes an upwardly extending portion to hold the bottom of arectangular duct in position on said bottom leg and said pivoted meanscomprises a lever pivoted to said top leg and having a portion movablefrom a horizontal unlocked position to a vertical position bearingagainst the top side of said duct to secure said duct in position insaid structure.
 3. A device for supporting a prewired duct above a dropceiling comprising a generally C-shaped bracket, hook-like meansextending from the bottom thereof for engagement with a structuralmember of said drop ceiling, means on the top of said bracket forattaching it to a supporting surface and means for releasably securing aduct within said bracket, said bracket being of generally rectangularconfiguration having a bottom, side and top leg, said bottom legincludes means for receiving and holding the bottom of a rectangularduct and a depending hook-like member and said top leg includes anopening and a latch pivoted thereto and movable into engagement with thetop of said duct to secure the duct in position in said bracket.
 4. Adevice according to claim 3 wherein said latch is in the form of a leverpivoted at a point between the ends thereof to said top leg.